Sermons upon Deuteronomy

There is not that minute of an hour, wherein we have not somewhat to be afraid of: a thousand dangers beset us round about: & therefore what will become of us, if we be not so fully persuaded of this doctrine, as to make it to serve us for ditches & rampiers, to hold out all the assaults that our enemies make upon us? And so, forasmuch as our life is full of unquietness, & we be threatened with many sorts of death, so as we cannot step forth one foot but we shall meet with some mischance or other, specially considering the means which the devil hath to annoy us withal, & the endeavour which he putteth thereunto; & also considering the multitude of the wicked, whom he driveth forward & carieth headlong: let us put this lesson in ure, that the god of hosts who hath the victory in his own hand, is on our side & will defend us, so as we shall not be overcome, but be preserved & defended by his power. Have we this once well printed in our hearts, we may go on boldly: and though we see men never so full of pride that they spew it out again, and so spiteful that they could find in their hearts to eat us up at one bit: let us not pass for that; for God will strike them in such a fear, that they shall be daunted and discouraged; and although we have neither sword nor staff, yet shall they be vanquished by themselves, & not perceive why nor how, but only by Gods secret working. Let us look upon it, & experience will show us that God meant not to beguile us when he behighted it us with his own mouth. But our own unbelief & lewdness, suffer us not to perceive the thing by experience which is spoken here. We can well enough ⟨p. 478⟩make our complaints and say; how happeneth it that God giveth such prowess to our enemies? how happeneth it that we be so cowardly and forlorn? We can ask such questions well enough. But we consider not the cause of them: & yet it is in our selves: & our enemies have none other power, than we our selves give them: and I say the same of Satan▪ as well as of all his underlings.

There is not yt minute of an houre, wherin we haue not somewhat to be afraid of: a thousand dangers beset vs round about: & therefore what will become of vs, if wee be not so fully perswaded of this doctrine, as to make it to serue vs for dyches & rampyres, to hold out al ye assalts that our enemies make vppon vs? And so, forasmuch as our life is full of vnquietnesse, & we bee threatened with many sortes of death, so as wee cannot step foorth one foote but wee shall meete with some mischance or other, specially considering the meanes which the diuell hath to annoy vs withal, & the indeuer which he putteth therunto; & also considering ye multitude of ye wicked, whom hee driueth forward & carieth headlong: let vs put this lessō in vre, yt the god of hosts who hath ye victorie in his own hand, is on our side & wil defēd vs, so as we shal not be ouercome, but be preserued & defended by his power. Haue we this once well printed in our hearts, we may go on boldly: and though we see men neuer so full of pride that they spew it out agin, and so spitefull that they coulde finde in their hearts to eate vs vp at one bit: let vs not passe for that; for God will strike them in such a feare, that they shalbe daunted and discouraged; and although wee haue neither sworde nor staffe, yet shall they be vanquished by themselues, & not perceiue why nor how, but only by Gods secret working. Let vs looke vpon it, & experience will shew vs that God ment not to beguile vs when he behighted it vs with his own mouth. But our own vnbeliefe & leawdnesse, suffer vs not to perceiue the thing by experience which is spokē here. We cā wel ynough